Newspaper Page Text
The ADVANCE, September 15, 2021/Page 4A
Sltje Aiiuancg
Launch
continued from page 1A
needs and develop a tan
gible plan.
The launch of the
Greater Vidalia Workforce
Development Strategy fol
lows a community work
force study guided by the
University of Georgia Carl
Vinson Institute of Gov
ernment. Rebecca Mc-
Iver, Fiscal Analyst/State
Services and Decision
Support for the Institute,
introduced the study and
praised the community's
“robust education and en
thusiasm for the future.”
The study is being exe
cuted by a Workforce Strat
egy Steering Committee of
27 representatives from the
Development Authority
the Greater Vidalia Cham
ber, area school systems,
Southeastern Technical
College (STC), Southeast
ern Early College and Ca
reer Academy (SECCA),
and Toombs County Fam
ily Connection (TCFC).
Also participating are area
industry executives and
business owners, including
Chicken of the Sea, DOT
Foods, Georgia Power, Me
morial Health Meadows
Hospital, Southern Nu
clear, Hatch Nuclear Plant
and Trane Technologies.
“Specifically, the strat
egy process identifies gaps,
develops priorities and
creates strategies for meet
ing the talent needs of
existing industry and pro
spective employers, sets
workforce development
goals and tells the Toombs
talent story, said Ann Ow
ens, Toombs County De
velopment Authority and
Greater Vidalia Chamber
Director of Community
Development.
Over the span of three
months, representatives of
the Carl Vinson Institute
of Government conducted
industry visits, interviews
with small business own
ers, members of the agri
culture community and
young professionals. Ses
sions were conducted at
both SECCA and STC
with students from diverse
pathways and age groups in
order to understand their
needs and desires for a suc
cessful career in the region.
Workshops were con
ducted with the Steering
Committee and, after iden
tifying areas of short and
long-term concerns to the
area, the group established
a vision for the future of
workforce development:
The Greater Vidalia area
will be a leader in work
force development, en
abling regional businesses
and industries to thrive
and the community to be
a sweet place to live, work,
and play.
A plan was developed
based on four priorties:
the Greater Vidalia Em
ployment Fair; “This Girl
Can” afterschool program;
Greater Vidalia Teacher
Externship Program; and
YouScience in the Greater
Vidalia Region. Some of
these programs have al
ready taken place or are
soon to be underway.
At the Greater Vidalia
Employment Fair on June
23, some 60 area busi
nesses interacted with over
250 individuals looking for
employment. Prospective
workers were able to inter
view with these companies
and work on resumes with
qualified professionals in
the STC computer lab.
The job fair is an ex
isting program at STC but
dovetailed with the work
force initiative. Another
new community effort,
“This Girl Can,” which is
coordinated by TCFC and
going into place this week,
is also a perfect fit in the
workforce strategy.
TCFC Director Paige
Williamson spoke on the
integration of the “This
Girl Can” afterschool pro
gram into local schools.
Through this program,
young girls tour industries
and get hands-on experi
ence in fields that are not
traditionally dominated by
females, like welding. This
pilot program is similar to a
program of the same name
in Glynn County and will
be offered to 7th and 8th
grade girls in Toombs
County and Vidalia City
schools.
“Direct experience is
the highest form of know
ing, and that is what this
program thrives upon,”
Williamson shared. “We
have all the partners in
place for this program to be
absolutely amazing for our
young people.”
STC’s Vice President
of Student Affairs Barry
Dotson also noted the suc
cess of the former Summer
Educator Academy that
was held at STC for several
years. In conjunction with
the Workforce Develop
ment Strategy, there are
plans to initiate the Greater
Vidalia Teacher Extern-
ship, which is similar to
the Academy. Through the
Teacher Externship, among
other objectives, local edu
cators will develop insight
into what local industries
and companies require in a
rising workforce.
Toombs County
Schools Superintendent
Barry Waller spoke on You
Science, a program that al
lows students to discover
and develop their interests
in middle school and tai
lors an individualized grad
uation plan to facilitate the
student’s workforce goals.
“We as educators have the
challenge of preparing our
students for the future: to
be the workforce and the
next generation,” Waller
said. “YouScience is a
career-interest inventory
Please see Launch page
12A
Teadkable MomeKf:
What is the history of Georgia Southern University?
Georgia Southern University in
Statesboro, GA, began in 1908 as
First District Agricultural & Me
chanical School, a land grant col
lege under federal legislation and
support. It opened with 4 faculty
members and 15 students. It was
founded as a school for teaching
modern agricultural techniques
and homemaking
skills to white ru
ral school children.
Within 20 years it
shifted its emphasis
to meet the growing
need for teachers.
In 1924, its
name and mission changed to Geor
gia Normal School to train teachers.
In 1929, it was granted senior col
lege status by the state after devel
oping a four-year curriculum and
renamed South Georgia Teachers
College. In 1939, it became Geor
gia Teachers College and in 1959
Georgia Southern College. In 1990,
it was granted university status as
Georgia Southern University.
Georgia Southern was named a
Doctoral/Research University by
Carnegie Foundation for the Ad
vancement of Teaching in 2006.
Since 1999, two new colleges have
been established: the College of
Information Technology in 2001,
and the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of
Public Health in 2004. In 2011, the
university established the Allen E.
Paulson College of En
gineering and Com
puting, which com
bines its College of
IT with its engineer
ing programs, and
it created the College
of Science and Math
ematics. In January 2018, both
Armstrong State located in Savan
nah and its smaller Liberty Cam
pus, located in Hinesville, formally
merged with Georgia Southern.
Georgia Southern contains the
Center for Wildlife Education and
Raptor Center, Botanical Garden,
Georgia Southern Museum, Center
for Art & Theatre, Performing Arts
Center, and Recreation Activity
Center.
Lyons Citizen of the Year Speaker
The Lyons Citizen of
the Year banquet will be
held on September 30,
2021, at 6:30 p.m. in the
Callaway Center at Partin
Park. The guest speaker
will be Joe M. Turner, who
will perform his Turner
Magic.
Turner is from Atlanta,
a native Mississippian, a
summa cum laude gradu
ate of Mississippi State
University, and a 21-year
veteran corporate enter
tainer and speaker. He
jumped headlong into pro
Joe M. Turner
fessional magic, which he
has performed on six conti
nents and for thousands on
land and at sea. His talent,
charm, and unconvention
al insights have put him in
high demand as a keynote
speaker for elite groups.
Please make plans to
attend this spectacular din
ner event to honor one of
Lyons exceptional citizens.
Tickets are on sale now
and can be purchased at
the Lyons City Hall, Lyons
Main Street, or from any
Lyons Lions Club member
until Monday September
20, 2021. No tickets will
be available at the event. A
limited number of tickets
are available for this event.
Customer Service & Teller Administrator
Experience That You Can Trust
211/2 years in banking -16 1/2 years in the loan department
5 years as a teller
Christy lives in Vidalia and is married to Darrell
with one daughter Sarah Kate
Peoples
Bank
2301 E 1st St., Vidalia, GA 30474 • 912-537-9900
299 West Liberty Ave., Lyons, GA 30436 • 912-526-8171
912-524-2000
www.ourpeoplesbank.com
\ • /
• BUSINESS
SOLUTIONS SUMMIT
Featuring Keynote Speaker
Dee Ann Turner
Is your organization struggling
to serve customers well and keep
them returning again and again?
Come learn the secret to creating
a remarkable culture, selecting
extraordinary talent, and winning
the hearts of your customers. It all
starts when you Bet on Talent. You
will learn:
7. The critical elements necessary
to create a culture that lays a
foundation to attract and keep
extraordinary talent.
2. The important difference between
hiring people and selecting talent.
3. The necessary steps to teach talent
how to provide amazing customer
service.
Additionally, you will hear about real
examples of organizations that are
tremendously successful because
they know how to Bet on Talent
Scan the QR to Register
Or call the Chamber
office at 912.537.4466
Thursday, September 23,2021
8:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.
First Baptist Church Vidalia,
107 East Second Street, Vidalia GA
$149 Registration Fee
Includes breakfast, lunch, a copy of
Mrs. Turner’s book, “Bet on Talent”, and
breakout sessions on topics of interest
to small business. Deadline to register
is September 17, 2021
GREATER
)) VIDALIA 6
^ CHAMBER
Presented by: Chick-fil-A Vidalia
Gold Sponsors: Silver Sponsors:
DBM Roofing • Dot Foods Tar Land and Timber .Terry's Flooring and
Taylor Insurance Services Blinds • Vyve Broadband